Friday, May 31, 2013

Today I’m thrilled to have author Jordan Rose as my guest!
She and I have “swapped blogs” for the day, so you can also find me over at her place, answering her interview questions about writing, reading and mermaids,
as my blog tour continues to Splash into Summerfrom one blog to the next!

But before you leave to check out Jordan’s site, linger a
few minutes to hear what she has to say about writing, superpowers, and her new
book slated for an October release date. (I’m not sure I can wait that long!) So without further ado... Jordan K. Rose!

Hi, Jordan! Give a brief bio and tell us what kind of
books you like to read and write.

Hi Katie. Thanks for having me on today. I’ve
been writing for about 4 years. And in the past year I’ve learned that I am
most productive during the summer months when I spend less time at my computer!
I spend as much time as I can at the beach during the summer months and while
I’m there I read and read and read. Then, when I’m at my computer I’m very
focused, not to mention relaxed.

I love to read (and write) vampire stories,
though I do enjoy most any paranormal romance, too.

What's your favorite part of being an author?

I’d say it’s a toss up between meeting new
characters and meeting readers. However, I will admit that meeting readers does
make me appear less crazy since everyone can see them and knows they really
exist instead of me standing there talking to air!

What’s your approach to writing? Do you plot or
go with the flow?

I’m a go with the flow kind of girl. I do not
plot, though I typically have some idea of where a story is going to land.

If you could have one superpower, what would it
be and why?

I don’t think I’d have a superpower. If I did,
I’d spend all my time obsessing about it and never get anything else done.

Tell us about your new release!

My next novel, The Demon Mistress, is slated for
an October release. Here’s the blurb:

What’s a girl to do when
she discovers her husband, who happens to be the Master Vampire for the New
England Region, has been lying to her for, oh, say a hundred and eighty years?

Well, it all depends. If
she’s accidentally released forty demons from some creepy old book,
unintentionally announced the existence of vampires on The Internet, kidnapped
a werewolf, enraged a lovesick vampire by stealing his approved mate, and
attracted the attention of The High Commander for The Vampire Federation, not
to mention gotten stoned and mastered the forbidden art of demon calling, she
might be willing to call it even.

Or, she might plead her
case at an Inquisition and hope like all hell, she isn’t staked before sunrise.
Eh, a slightly busier night than usual, but nothing Eva Prim can’t handle.

Readers can follow Eva’s adventures, get sneak
peeks of The Demon Mistress, including the upcoming cover reveal and be
guaranteed a Friend For Eternity by joining Eva’s Snack Of The Week Club at
www.evaprim.com.

Wow - cool badge! I really need to check that out. But wait, let's finish the interview! Okay, if you’re casting the movie of your book,
who would you choose to play the main characters?

This question is always hard for me. Whenever I
think of leading actors/actresses I can only ever think of them and the movies
I’ve seen them in. I’d want someone that people didn’t have a set impression of
so I’d love to sit through the casting calls and pick someone yet unknown!

Where can readers find your books and where can
you be found on the web?

My first book, Perpetual
Light, is available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and All Romance Ebooks from
Crescent Moon Press.

Thursday, May 30, 2013

Sunday's Book Launch was a big hit, with gourmet cupcakes and crafts for younger readers. These girls enjoyed coloring their own mermaid-themed bookmarks at the craft table, and many other readers took some home to decorate later...

The party started on the outside deck of Where the Sidewalk Ends bookstore, on Main Street in Chatham. The covered deck stretches between the main bookstore and the Children's Annex. It was fine for a bit, while the sun was trying to decide whether to make an appearance... but once the sun gave up we moved the party inside next to the fireplace! Who knew it could be so chilly on Cape Cod for Memorial Day Weekend?

It was great to chat with older book buyers, who were purchasing the books as gifts for nieces, nephews and grandchildren. One industrious shopper from New Jersey bought two as Christmas gifts for her grandkids and had me sign them - Christmas! Planning ahead!

Several young visitors asked to have their pictures taken with "The Author" - a new experience for me! But lots of fun. Even some of the girls I knew from volunteering at school and with Girl Scouts got a little tongue tied to see me in the role of Official Author.

All in all a wonderful event, and I'm so grateful to the bookstore owners, the fabulous mother-daughter team of Joanne and Caitlin Doggart, for inviting me to share my special celebration with them and their patrons.

Tuesday, May 28, 2013

Memorial Day Weekend is officially over. It was cold, wet, foggy, cloudy, chilly, blowy, and downright gross here on Cape Cod... until Monday morning, when the sunrise was crisp, clear and beautiful, as was the day. After the morning ceremony at the town bandstand, we spent the rest of the day at the Community Garden, trying to get the weedblock down and some of the tomato plants in the ground at our little plot.

The book signing at Where the Sidewalk Ends booksellers on Sunday was a huge success - Huge! Thanks to everyone who braved the traffic (which was some of the worst I've ever seen!) Didn't quite sell out of books, but almost! There were only 4 copies remaining in the store when I left. Which are signed, by the way, if you want to snap them up ;-)

In the virtual world, my Splash Into Summer blog tour continued its journey, visiting author Patricia Lee up in Canada for an interview and analysis of my characters. Have you ever thought about what "color" would best describe one of your characters? Interesting!

And don't forget the RAFFLECOPTER GIVEAWAYthat I'm hosting - plenty of time left to enter, but don't forget to enter! If you click on this link, or the badge in the top left corner, you'll go to the page with the rafflecopter. I still need to figure out how to post it along the margin... maybe later this week. Not today.

Today I have review copies of my book to mail out - one requested by the Cape Cod Times! And a press kit to drop off at the middle school to see about getting on their summer reading list - I mean, the book is set here in town, why not?

Busy. Busy. Busy. Need to schedule some time to enjoy early summer... maybe next week. In the meantime, here are some pretty pictures from the weekend...

Sunday, May 26, 2013

Today is the official launch party for SON OF A MERMAID! I'll be at Where the Sidewalk Ends bookstore on Main Street in Chatham from 2 - 4 p.m. signing books and celebrating! We'll be on the deck with cupcakes, balloons, crafts and raffle prizes!

If you're on Cape Cod, stop by to visit!

Where the Sidewalk Ends is a cool, indie bookstore owned by a mother and daughter who share a deep passion for books. It's one of my favorite spots on Cape Cod, and if you've never been you need to add it to your list!

Friday, May 24, 2013

Puppy is getting used to the construction, but both dogs are still unsettled by what they perceive as the invasion of their turf. I mean, the squirrels are running free in their yard!

How can we allow this to happen?! Squirrels! Really!

And as many times as I try to explain that the door to the backyard now leads to nowhere, Puppy still begs to be let out there - "Just this one time, Mom," to chase the invading squirrels and rabbits - oh and that orange tabby cutting through the yard right this minute. (The nerve of some cats! Open the door! Open the door!)

The cement was poured for the basement walls at the end of last week, tar, backfill, feet for the garage, and now new forms are set up to hold up the garage slab. So kind of more of the same, but in a different spot. And a few of the sand piles are gone now from the front yard. (You'll notice that the piles are missing on the right side of this next photo. Rest assured, they are still there on the left...)

I don't think they will be pouring cement today as the sky is pouring rain and the wind is near hurricane force this morning. Hoping it calms down for the long weekend....

If you are on Cape or coming to the Cape for Memorial Day weekend, check out the interview I did in this week's CAPE COD CHRONICLE. And be sure to stop by Where the Sidewalk Ends bookstore on Main Street in Chatham on SUNDAY MAY 26 FROM 2P.M. TO 4 P.M. for my Book Launch Party! Cupcakes and books and more. I just received my first shipment of books too - they weer on my doorstep last night when I got home from my daughter's track meet. What a nice surprise! So shiny!

Thursday, May 23, 2013

I know I say this every time I talk about Kate, but she was the author who first made me take a look at Crescent Moon Press, back when her YA novel TASTE was having its first cover reveal. She has a new book just out from another publisher titled ROMANCING THE BOOKWORM... sounds like a fun summer read! She's an awesome author, a fun lady, and I'm so lucky now to call her my friend!

Today I'm talking about something different in my guest post! Umm, no, I'm really not. Still all about my new book! Today there's a short excerpt from SON OF A MERMAID, showing the first time the reader really gets to see some mermaid magick. And gets to know for sure that the mysterious girl on the beach is REALLY a mermaid.

And Kate has the Rafflecopter on her blog as well - so if you haven't entered yet for your chance to win an ebook or a beach stone necklace or some awesome swag.... what are you waiting for? Click on over!

Wednesday, May 22, 2013

I'm over at THE WRITING NUT where I'm Nutschell's guest on her Wednesday Workspace feature.

Want to see what my mess desk looks like? The things I need to write? My puppy when she could still fit UNDER my desk (instead of being the same size as the desk!) Stop by and say hi!

I'm also visiting with author Cindy Young Turner, and answering her questions about my writing and inspirations. And whether I like coffee or tea (Tea! As if!) Stop by and make Cindy feel loved!

* * *

And big thanks to everyone who showed up to the Twitter party - and then moved with us to Facebook when Twitter crapped out. Tech rumour has it that our party wouldn't work because The Voice uses Twitter for live feedback on the show. Oh well - we had a BLAST on Facebook! Congrats to all the winners - I will get my share of the prizes in the mail today!

Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Tonight is the night! We're going to rock the Twittospherewith our #Magicked Party!

Five authors with new releases out this spring from Crescent Moon Press, and what do we have in common?

Magick!

Each of our five books are based in the "Real" world, but each weaves magick throughout the story. And tonight we're going to weave some of that magick across Twitter so that our hashtag totally takes over the Tweeting Universe. Or at least we'll try!

Join us from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. Eastern Time as we chat, ask trivia questions, assign tasks and give away some cool prizes - ebooks, swag, necklaces... and that $100 gift card grand prize! Should be awesome!

If you don't already follow me on Twitter at OkatieO, you can find the party by searching the hashtag #MAGICKED. While it's my first Twitter party, Lynn Rush is an old pro at this and should be able to keep things moving at a burning pace. (Maybe I'd better limber up first...)

Monday, May 20, 2013

Today I'm excited to have author Lindsey Loucks on my blog, answering questions and talking about her new YA book, THE GRAVE WINNER.

And in a neat little twist, I'm over at her blog today talking about SON OF A MERMAID! Both of our novels were released last week from Crescent Moon Press.

Both of our books are YA, and both involve magick. In both her book and mine, the main characters find out secrets that have been hidden from them. -secrets that change their lives forever. AND... I totally enjoyed reading her book! I'll be posting my review soon, but trust me. Good book with a unique concept and characters.

Tomorrow night, we'll both be hosting a BIG TWITTER PARTY with tons of COOL PRIZES!!! Necklaces, swag, ebooks and $100 gift card! Look for the hashtag #MAGICKED. Authors Lynn Rush, Kary Rader, and Maer Wilson are also hosting - it should be a fast and furious night! Hope to see you there!

Okay, on to the interview....

Hi, Lindsey! Give us a brief bio and tell us what
kind of books you like to read and write.

Hello, Katie! I work as a K-12 librarian, and
when I’m not talking about books, I’m reading or writing them. I love to read
all kinds of books, but especially those that are dark, atmospheric, and with a
touch of romance. Coincidentally, those are the same kind of stories I like to
write!

What's your favorite part of being an author?

So far, my favorite part was telling my mom last
Mother’s Day that I had just signed a publishing contract. I could hear her
smile over the phone!

What’s your approach to writing? Do you plot or
go with the flow?

Maybe a little bit of both. I usually have a
vague idea where I’m going, but I like to let the characters take the reins and
lead me in directions I never knew existed. Sometimes they lead me over rugged
terrain, but it’s always a lot of fun!

Besides being an awesome author, if you could
have one superpower, what would you choose?

My superpower would be to make people’s daydreams
come true. *rubs hands together and laughs maniacally* That would be very
interesting!

Tell us about your new release, THE GRAVE
WINNER

I’d love to! Here’s the blurb:

Leigh Baxton is terrified her mom will come back
from the dead -- just like the prom queen did.

While the town goes beehive over the news, Leigh
bikes to the local cemetery and buries some of her mom’s things in her grave to
keep her there. When the hot and mysterious caretaker warns her not to give
gifts to the dead, Leigh cranks up her punk music and keeps digging.

She should have listened.

Two dead sorceresses evicted the prom queen from
her grave to bury someone who offered certain gifts. Bury them alive, that is,
then resurrect them to create a trio of undead powerful enough to free the
darkest sorceress ever from her prison inside the earth.

With help from the caretaker and the dead prom
queen, Leigh must find out what’s so special about the gifts she gave, and why
the sorceresses are stalking her and
her little sister. If she doesn’t, she’ll either lose another loved one or have
to give the ultimate gift to the dead – herself.

Okay, if you’re casting the movie of your book,
who would play the main characters?

Tough question. Taylor Momsen might
work for Leigh, but I’d have to actually talk to her to see if she could pull
it off. Leigh’s dad would have to be Aaron Eckhart. As
far as the rest of the characters, I haven’t found anyone yet.

Where can readers find your books and where can
you be found on the web?

The
Grave Winner will be available as an ebook and paperback from
Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Kobo.

I’m usually frolicking all over the internet, but
mostly at these places:

Friday, May 17, 2013

This is the reason Puppy is so happy lately. Seven sunrises a week at her favorite sandy spot. With the construction going on, I have no option to be lazy about it. Just do it.

In construction news, the forms for the foundation are all in place, so I assume we're expecting a visit from the cement truck in the near future. Maybe today.

Puppy checks out the forms being assembled in the sandpit...

The "concrete forms" will hold the cement in place as it dries and forms the walls for the new basement.

So, Vicki asked last week for me to explain what's actually being built. The large window on the left edge of the remaining house is to the existing (tiny) (miniscule) kitchen. We're expanding the kitchen (and will break through that wall once the new structure is in place.) We're adding a mudroom entrance to the kitchen area, and family room behind the new garage. The new garage will be a little closer to the street to allow room for the room behind it. There are no new bedrooms being added, but we will get a new guest bathroom off the family room and new French doors out into the backyard to replace the slider that never worked properly (ever.) And best of all, there will be room for my washing machine and dryer to live inside the house from now on, instead of in the garage. Which means I'll never have to worry about the water lines freezing in the winter, or getting up at 3 a.m. to run laundry in the middle of the night when the temperatures dip below zero. (I won't miss that at all!)

Puppy doesn't care about any of this. She can't read the plans and has no idea what's to come. She just knows she gets to enjoy the sunrise every morning now.

And she's happy.

P.S. In book news, I'm continuing on my Splash Into Summer blog tour. Today I'm talking about mermaids through history over at Kary Rader's blog

There is also going to be a post soon on Manga Maniac Cafe blog (well, she told me it would be today, but I don't see it over there yet.)

Don't forget to enter the Rafflecopter giveaway - click on the tour badge up in the left-hand corner to go to a page with the Giveaway and enter to win!

I'm also being interviewed by Wendy Russo on her blog - Wendy is the author of that great new YA novel JANUARY BLACK. (If you haven't read it yet, you really should! And she's got some cool contests of her own going on right now, so be sure to stick around and check out her website!)

Wendy asks great questions, which evolved organically over the course of a long email conversation. It was a cool way to be interviewed - unique, like her novel!

And don't forget the Rafflecopter giveaway is now open - enter to win your own copy of SON OF A MERMAID and your own mermaid necklace!

AND AND AND... if you're already sold on buying SON OF A MERMAID... why wait? Order today at Amazon in paperback or for your Kindle!

Monday, May 13, 2013

Leigh Baxton is terrified her mom will come back from the
dead -- just like the prom queen did.

While the town goes beehive over the news, Leigh bikes to the local cemetery
and buries some of her mom’s things in her grave to keep her there. When the
hot and mysterious caretaker warns her not to give gifts to the dead, Leigh
cranks up her punk music and keeps digging.

She should have listened.

Two dead sorceresses evicted the prom queen from her grave to bury someone who
offered certain gifts. Bury them alive, that is, then resurrect them to create
a trio of undead powerful enough to free the darkest sorceress ever from her
prison inside the earth.

With help from the caretaker and the dead prom queen, Leigh must find out
what’s so special about the gifts she gave, and why the sorceresses are
stalking her and her little sister. If she doesn’t, she’ll either lose another
loved one or have to give the ultimate gift to the dead – herself

MY TAKE:

I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of this book from the
author. And I'm so glad I did! The book will be available May 15th, and I
totally recommend grabbing a copy for your beach bag!

Fresh ideas, crisp writing and a compelling storyline make The Grave Winner a
great choice for summer reading!

The story starts fast, jumping right in and answering questions later. We first
meet the main character Leigh Baxton at her mother's funeral, standing
graveside with her father and little sister Darby. We don't know how her mother
died, but we can see this is a turning point in Leigh's life.

The story is all told in first person from Leigh's point of view, and we hear
her sarcastic, rebellious voice right from the get-go. She throws curse words
at the "in" crowd and doesn't follow direction well, even when it's
in her own best interest. But she does have a good heart and strong family
bonds, as well as a fierce sense of loyalty to her friends.

She also has a secret thing for her best friend's older brother, Callum, or
Cal. Suddenly he seems to be paying attention, seeing her for the first time.
This could be great... if only there wasn't a dead cheerleader back from the
grave and stirring things up in Leigh's once sleepy Kansas town.

Hooked yet? Me too. I think I may have to read this one again! (And keep my
fingers crossed for a sequel!)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Lindsey R. Loucks works as a school librarian in rural
Kansas. When she's not discussing books with anyone who will listen, she's dreaming
up her own stories. Eventually her brain gives out, and she'll play hide and
seek with her cat, put herself in a chocolate induced coma, or watch scary
movies alone in the dark to reenergize.

Friday, May 10, 2013

Construction continues at our house, and the dogs are busy watching the progress. They must be wondering what on earth is going on... and why we don't let them play or dig in the new sandpit that is our yard.

The first cement was poured this week. Not much else has happened, as we wait for the next phase to begin.

The back yard is just as sand-pitty, as they placed much of the excavated material behind the house to form a new yard. Which makes up for the space we lost because of this project. The dogs haven't been allowed back there yet, as there is literally nothing but a sandy mess all around the pool fence. No dirt. Just sand.

The dogs are still enjoying their (very) early morning romps on the beach as well as their mid-day romps and sunset romps. The mid-day walks will have to be changed to street-only very soon as Summer Beach Rules go into effect next week. But we'll still be up there at 5 a.m.

Thursday, May 9, 2013

Join me as I tour the blogosphere, talking about my new YA novel and giving away some cool prizes. Here's the list of where you can find me. Come visit some new blog friends, leave comments and win goodies through the end of Spring, as we head into Summer with a Big Splash!

(If you want to get yourself and your blog added to the tour, email me or leave a comment and I'll get in touch! The more people splashing around the blogosphere the merrier!)

June 15 - ALL THINGS MERMAID PARTYat BEACH COTTAGE LIVING, starts at noon!
Beach Cottage Living is located at 457 Lower County Road in Harwich Port. This eclectic shop is filled with cool things for your home and garden - and this Saturday will be all about MERMAIDS, including my book! Join us for cupcakes, friends, shopping and fun!

AND... I finally figured out how to use Rafflecopter successfully. I think. So I've got an official-looking giveaway going on, starting May 15 and running through June 21. Enter here or at any of the blog tour dates listed. And good luck!!!

Wednesday, May 8, 2013

Published by Crescent Moon Press, May 2013

BLURB:

When the creatures of myth and magic return to Earth,
they're nothing like your mother's fairy tales.

Most of Thulu and La Fi's clients are dead. Which is perfect
since their detective agency caters to the supernatural. So, a job finding
relics for an ancient daemon is simple. The daemon needs the relics to keep a
dangerous portal closed. His enemy, Gabriel, wants the relics to open the
portal and give his people access to a new feeding ground - Earth.

Hoping to create chaos, Gabriel opens portals to other
worlds and the creatures of magic return to Earth, stunning humanity with their
existence. When Gabriel threatens their family, Thulu and La Fi's job becomes
personal. They'll need powerful allies in the race to find the relics before
Gabriel does. But maybe that's what grateful dead, magical allies and daemonic
clients are for.

MY TAKE:

With this well-crafted debut novel, Maer Wilson has laid the
groundwork for a great new series of detective books. This refreshing take on urban fantasy has strong elements of family, love and commitment woven throughout, making it different from many of the darker novels in the category.

RELICS is the first book of a new series about a paranormal
detective agency, run by two humans with unusual powers and unusual nicknames,
Thulu and La Fi.

We first meet La Fi as a child, when she was still known as
Fiona. Her parents die and her unusual abilities manifest themselves – she can
see, hear and talk with ghosts. She meets Thulu on the first day at her new
school, and the pair become inseparable. He also has an unusual talent, for
finding lost things. His family – the tight knit Thulukan clan – welcomes La Fi
and her grandmother into the fold with open and loving arms. The theme of strong
family bonds, love and commitment run all throughout this novel.

Fast forward to the present, where La Fi and Thulu are
married and running their own successful detective agency, working to bring
resolution to the dead. They have a quiet, happy life but when a case brings
them in contact with a Daemon, things start to get strange. When the Daemon
hires them to find some relics that will prevent global disaster the action
ramps up and trust me, you’ll never think of Angels versus Daemons in the same
way.

The story is told all in first person by La Fi, with lots of
mundane details thrown in about the food she’s preparing and the restoration
work she and Thulu have done on their home. The details keep you grounded in
“reality” while all manner of extraordinary creatures and events are introduced
into the tale, in the same way that Charlaine Harris’s Sookie keeps us grounded
in reality with her details about clothes, television shows and her tanning
efforts while vampires, werewolves and the fae battle in and around Bon Temps.

The Thulukan Agency may
not be the first paranormal detective agency out there on the shelves, but it
is certainly one to watch. I look forward to reading many more adventures as
Thulu and La Fi expand their agency.

About the Author:

After a successful career being other people, and later
teaching others the many tricks of that trade, Maer Wilson has decided to be
herself for a while. Turns out she's a writer.

She's always loved stories, especially fantasy, mystery and
sci fi. Maer was born in the Year of the Dragon and has a dragon-themed room in
her home, but sadly no dragons in the back yard. When she's not writing, Maer
plays online video games, teaches college and reads. She also co-hosts the
literary podcast, "MythBehaving" and writes for two gaming fansites.

She lives in the high desert of Southern Nevada with her two
dogs, a chihuahua and a poodle. RELICS is her first novel and Book 1 in
"The Thulukan Chronicles." RELICS releases through Crescent Moon
Press on May 1, 2013.

Tuesday, May 7, 2013

I'm thrilled to have Maer Wilson as my guest today, talking about her new book RELICS and what inspires her. Her book was just released on May 1st by Crescent Moon Press - and I will post my review of the book tomorrow (fyi, LOVED it!)

So, welcome, Maer! Tell us a little bit about yourself, and about what kind of books
you like to read and write.

First let me thank you for letting me visit,
Katie. I’m a former stage actor and now I pass on what I know by teaching
college. I live in the Southern Nevada desert with my two dogs.

I read Fantasy, Sci Fi, Horror, Mysteries and I
write Urban Fantasy.

What's your favorite part of being an author?

I love getting to play in the worlds I make up.
Exploring all the potential stories in those worlds is more fun than I ever
could have imagined.

What’s your approach to writing? Do you plot or
go with the flow?

I go with the flow. I have a general idea where
I’m going to end up, but the process of getting there sometimes takes me
completely by surprise. More than once I’ve been writing and think, “Wow, I
didn’t know that!” It’s funny, but exciting at the same time.

If you could have one superpower, what would it
be and why?

Immortality because there is just so much I would
love to do and experience that one lifetime just doesn’t seem enough.

Tell us about your new release, RELICS

Relics is an
Urban Fantasy that takes place in San Francisco and follows the exploits of
husband and wife detectives, Thulu and La Fi. The couple’s clients are usually
dead, which is fine with them since they work only with the supernatural. But
their simple job to find lost relics for an ancient daemon turns into a grand
adventure when the creatures of myth and magic return to Earth, confirming that
humans are definitely not alone.

Okay, if you’re casting the movie of your book,
who would play the main characters?

La F - Jennifer Lawrence

Thulu - Chris Hemsworth

Jones - Shemar Moore

Reo - Chace Crawford

Nana Fae - Meryl Streep

Where can readers find your books and where can
you be found on the web?

Thanks, Maer, for chatting with me today! I really enjoyed your book and look forward to reading more adventures from the Thulukan Agency!

About the Book:

Most of Thulu and La Fi's clients are dead. Which is perfect
since their detective agency caters to the supernatural. So, a job finding
relics for an ancient daemon should be simple.

The daemon needs the relics to keep a dangerous portal
closed. His enemy, Gabriel, wants the relics to open the portal and give his
people access to a new feeding ground – Earth.

Stunning humanity with their existence, portals to other
worlds begin to open and the creatures of magic return to Earth.

When Gabriel threatens their family, Thulu and La Fi's
search becomes personal. The couple will need powerful allies in the race to
find the relics before Gabriel does. But maybe that's what grateful dead,
magical allies and daemonic clients are for.

When the creatures of myth and magic return to Earth, they're nothing
like your mother's fairy tales.

Praise for Relics

"'Relics' is a powerful read which will challenge
long-held perceptions of good vs. evil and Light vs. Dark well after the book
is finished." Diane M. Haynes, author of Rift Healer, YA finalist in the Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence.

“In Relics, author Maer Wilson takes everything you think you know
about the creatures of the fantasy world and twists it around to create a
unique and engaging story.”Constance
Philips, author of Resurrecting Harry and
Fairyproof.

FOREST OF THE FORSAKEN

By Joanne Brothwell

Published February 2013 by Joanne Brothwell

In this eerie adaptation of Hansel and Gretel, the fairy
tale ending may be far from happy.

Following her mother’s death to cancer, Meg’s world crashes
in around her. Her father re-marries within weeks of their loss, her witch
step-mother is cold and rejecting, and her new step-brother, Joey, has some
rather unusual sexual preferences. Meg’s only hope is to move away and leave
her father and the tainted memories behind.

When her father forces her to attend his honeymoon with this
new and unwanted blended family, Meg finds herself in the remote wilderness of
the Rocky Mountains, miles from civilization. Meg begins to see things in the
forbidding forest—strange, unexplainable things she believes are the result of
compounding stress. But when her father and step-mother disappear, leaving Meg
and Joey to fend for themselves, lost and without supplies, she realizes her
paranormal visions are not merely her imagination after all.

Meg’s knows of the dangerous and tortured demons of Joey’s
past but her heart can’t resist him. Bound together in desperation and fear,
their romance blooms bright and all-consuming despite the evil magic of the
formidable forest.

Will Meg and Joey find their way back to civilization? Or
will their love wither in submission to the shadows within the Forest of the
Forsaken?

MY TAKE:

A fast read that zips along at breakneck speed and sizzles
with heat between the two main characters, this adult paranormal romance has
few slow moments. Told in first person from the main character Meg’s point of
view, the romance keeps shifting from dark to sweet, from lust to love, from
sizzling to tender over the course of the story.

This is a reinterpretation of an old Grimm Brothers fairy
tale, an adult retelling of the story of Hansel and Gretel. Let me emphasize
the “adult” part of that sentence, as I mistakenly thought this was YA and (oh
boy!) it’s not at all. I bought this before the cover redesign – and I have to
add that I love the new cover art. With the more adult looking characters and
the darker, creepier overtones, it’s beautiful and scary, and does justice to
the story.

My favorite parts of the writing were the descriptions of
both the evil forest (its own character, really) and the witch’s house. And the
sex scenes. Ms. Brothwell does a great job bringing heat and darkness to the
characters interactions and feelings. While I would’ve liked to have Joey’s
character arc better defined (I desperately want him to be a totally changed
man in the end!) I enjoyed this story immensely. It was a great escape – a
guilty pleasure that I would recommend it to anyone looking for a quick, hot
read for a day at the beach.

About the Author:

Joanne Brothwell lives in the country on the Canadian
prairie where her stories are inspired by the dead things that appear at her
doorstep on a daily basis. Of course, her two pets, a retired police dog with
titanium fangs and a feral barn cat missing two toes, make the safety of
surrounding wildlife, at best, uncertain.

Joanne is known to daydream, and ever since grade school has
been accused of having a poor attention span. The truth is, Joanne has an
alternate reality inside her head, where characters speak to her, sometimes so
loudly (and incessantly) she just can't hear anything else!

You can rest assured you'll see much more of Joanne's
writing in the future, as those characters in her head, having tasted the sweet
freedom of release, simply refuse to be silenced!

Friday, May 3, 2013

Big changes going on at our house. Gotta tear it down before you can build it back up, right?

Puppy is slowly getting used to the idea, and to the new routines. She likes the fact that we're getting up and out to the beach by 5:30 every morning now. She doesn't like the fact that the heavy machinery starts up by 8 a.m., interrupting her nap time. She doesn't like that she doesn't have a fireplace to lay in front of - or a t.v. room for that matter.

She spent the first few days this week jumping up and barking every time there was a new sound, a new truck in the yard, a new person tramping through the house. Monday and Tuesday were a cacophony of barking dogs. This is Day Five. She's already in my daughter's bedroom, hiding from the bulldozer vibrations and trying to sleep through the sounds of de-construction.

It's going to be a long spring and summer for her, with lots of new faces and new routines to adjust to. For all of us. But it'll be worth it in the end.

And as long as Puppy keeps getting to go to the beach several times a day, she's okay with it all.

Available now!

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Winter romance on Cape Cod

Paranormal Suspense with a splash of Romance

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cape cod romance at its Quirkiest

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Son of a Mermaid, Book One

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Son of a Mermaid, Book Two

Best Selling Cape Cod Romance

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Welcome!

I'm an author, editor, magazine columnist, wife, and mother to three kids and two big dogs... not necessarily in that same order each day. I try to write every day and read a book a week, but life often gets in the way.

I write romance and adventure for young adults and the young at heart, and living next to the Atlantic Ocean influences everything I write...